Heading Towards History

The highest amount of money raised in crowd-sourcing history is around $10million and as I write this we are currently at $6.6million.

We have already set records for the fastest ever $2million raised and the highest amount of money ever raised on Indigogo, so let’s smash through the $10million figure and bring Ubuntu forward into crowd-funding history. This campaign is not just about funding the beautiful, powerful, converged Ubuntu Edge and having your phone and desktop in your pocket, but also demonstrating how truly disruptive crowd-funding can be.

The Ubuntu Edge Referral Contest

So many of you have been busy spreading the word (helping us to smash through the $6 million mark already) that to keep that momentum going, we want to give you a special incentive.

Whether you’ve contributed $20 or $2,000, you all have the chance to win something extra special: a personalised Ubuntu Edge phone engraved with your name.

Of course, for this prize to exist the campaign has to hit its target, so be sure to spread the word using every possible medium you have access to. Our goal is to make history, and every one of you can help us write that history and get a historical special-edition customized Ubuntu Edge in the process.

How To Enter

Get your unique Share This Campaign link from the Ubuntu Edge page (just below the video), and share it via social media, email or any other method you can think of. Click the Embed and Email buttons for simple instructions to add an Ubuntu Edge widget to your website or email signature.

Every time someone clicks your link or widget and then contributes money to the campaign, you’ve made a successful referral.

The Rules

You have one week. The person who drives the most money in referral contributions between now and 4.00pm BST on Friday 2 August will win this great prize. (Prize is conditional on the Ubuntu Edge being fully funded.)

Every extra backer takes us closer to our goal, and by taking part you’ll be playing a vital role in getting the Ubuntu Edge made.

18 Comments

Rik Shaw
on July 27, 2013 at 12:05 pm

I like the $20 founder pledge, but I think everyone making that pledge
would LOVE the chance at an Ubuntu Edge. My suggestion is that Canonical
either use the existing “founder pledge” or have a separate pledge of
maybe $25 – $50 that would enter a person into a “lottery drawing”.
Maybe for every $20,000 received another Ubuntu Edge would be given out
to a random recipient (that way more people contributing won’t reduce
the % chance that they will win an Ubuntu Edge). Maybe you could make
sure and give out a few per continent also to spread it around? People could enter as many
times as they choose to increase their chances (and increase the total donations).

Anyway, I would be very eager to make such a contribution myself, and I
am guessing others would as well. Sure, being a “founding member” is
nice, but a chance at getting an Ubuntu Edge device for those that can’t
afford it? No brainer

I have learned that indigogo does not allow “raffle” or “lottery” drawings since they deem them “gambling”. Yes, in the US grade schools do the same thing (in places where “gambling” is illegal also, and there aren’t problems raised). Regardless, it doesn’t seem that it is possible. Others have posted comments about adding perks such as t-shirts, etc. But I still say that what everyone contributing $20 wants isn’t a t-shirt, but a chance to get an Edge! We are the 99%.

how about a $10 pledge, and every batch of 100 pledges on this perk gets a draw for a phone. So a 1/100 chance to win a phone for $10 and covering the actual cost of the device. Along these lines there are many options. The key for success will be in the $10-600 gap that exists. Also, since there are countless people waiting for canonical to drop the prices, an official statement saying that this won’t be the case might also help. Just my 2c

how about a $10 pledge, and every batch of 100 pledges on this perk gets a draw for a phone. So a 1/100 chance to win a phone for $10 and covering the actual cost of the device. Along these lines there are many options. The key for success will be in the $10-600 gap that exists. Also, since there are countless people waiting for canonical to drop the prices, an official statement saying that this won’t be the case might also help. Just my 2c

Jono the idea of ??100 people pay $ 10.00 and compete for a ubuntu edge is very good, please do with this idea to be discussed with Mark. I believe that so many people will contribute. With $ 100.00 My chances of winning a ubuntu edge is 1/10 which is good!! I apologize if my English sounds weird, I’m Brazilian and I’m using google translator 🙂 kkk!!

Try to get the word out in the non-English speaking world. There are 1.4 billion Chinese out there, out of which 500 Million already have phone contracts with mobile internet—more than the number of people who live in the US! And wasn’t there Ubuntu Kylin? Connect the dots.

I am also talking Germany, France, the rest of Europe. Believe it or not, but essentially nobody here reads English news. And I haven’t read anything about the Edge in mainstream media over here.

Same goes for Canonical.com and Ubuntu.com, by the way. Why are those still only available in English?

I pretty much agree with what a lot of the other commentators have said – there is no way I can afford to stump up >$700 for an Ubuntu Edge, but would consider a smaller donation for some lesser swag. Going from $20 to (currently) $775 surely goes against the community spirit that you would normally thrive on – allowing those without large amounts of disposable income to contribute to the bigger ideal.